“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 17’s “Queen of She Done Already Done Had Herses,” Suzie Toot–with her Golden Age of Hollywood aesthetic, musical theater pedigree and knack for playfully laughing off her castmates’ drama–became a highlighted fan favorite. She’s also a recent New Yorker, and is coming home this week for a special show… alongside two other fan faves! [Cover photo: Eric Magnussen]
Thotyssey: Suzie, hello! Thanks for finding time for us; we can’t imagine how busy you are! As of this moment, where are you?
Suzie Toot: Hello! I am currently on a plane back home to New York after a fabulous weekend of shows in LA.
I’m actually overall curious about the timeline of how and when you moved to New York (you’re a Florida native!) versus when you filmed Drag Race. What happened first? Also, do you think you’ve gotten a chance to really live and exist as a New Yorker before Drag Race took over?
So I moved to New York pretty much a month after filming Drag Race, which is why there’s no mention of it on the show. It was a really special and kind of strange time to be waiting for this huge thing to come out and also trying to explore a completely new scene. But I love this city so much; moving has proved to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Now that I’m traveling so much, I do feel like I’ve lost touch with the city a little bit again, so I’m looking forward to spending more time at home… someday.
Congrats on your great, memorable run on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17! Your aesthetic and fun attitude really made you a standout, and you certainly made an impression on your fellow contestants! What was it like to watch the final product week by week?
Thank you! It was definitely really spooky to not know what the world was going to see of me on television until it aired. But looking back on it, it was such a thrill… and I don’t think there’s any other feeling in the world like it.
One Suzie moment that really touched me is when your Mom came over for the drag makeover “family resemblance” challenge. While most of the other girls had these really willing and enthusiastic relatives to pair with, your mother’s take on the moment was a lot more relatable to queer folks with parents from a certain generation” She was loving and supportive, but not super comfortable in that environment and a bit confused. Yet you both wound up slaying! That whole experience must’ve been very harrowing for both of you. Did your relationship with your mom change at all since then?
Harrowing is the word, isn’t it? It was such an amazing moment that I never thought in a million years would happen. It was absolutely a bonding experience; she’ll write me letters from signed “Queenie Toot.” Just like doing Drag Race with my sisters, it’s such a unique experience that it makes you closer just by doing it together.
After your late elimination, you returned to the show to win the title of “Queen of She Done Already Done Had Herses” in the LaLaPaRuZa smackdown, beating all your other fallen fellow contestants in an epic lip synch battle! Did that feel like the Super Bowl of Drag?
Oh my God, it was intense! And I was in such battle mode, but trying not to show it like I had been doing the rest of the season. But it was mostly a ton of fun; I think we were all just so excited to be together on set again.
By the way, how wonderful was it to see Liza Minelli get her Lifetime Achievement flowers in the finale!? She looked fantastic! Were you able to get a personal moment with her?
Oh, wasn’t that just the most incredible thing? So, so many young people who maybe have only heard of Liza in passing or seen the “Snatch Game” performances got a proper look at her life and legacy. We all did get to grab a picture with her onstage, so as I passed by I barely muttered through sobs, “you mean the world to me.” She told me I looked gorgeous. I’m still crying.
We all know that the Drag Race fanbase can be a bit overenthusiastic about their favorites to the point of being toxic. Is it hard to navigate, or is it easy to just dismiss it all?
It is definitely a tough thing to navigate, but it’s also very easy for me to just focus on the good ones and all of the love. I receive so much fan art and so many gifts at the meet and greets. People are genuinely inspired to put art in the world because of the art I’ve made. It’s really insane to wrap my head around it.
I was wondering where your classic Hollywood musical aesthetic came from!
In high school, when I first started tap dancing, I began researching the history of it, and the women in those old early 20th century films absolutely enraptured me. The glamour, the camp, the social commentary, the boundary pushing. Everything about them, I found remarkable.
Do you have a favorite classic musical?
If we’re talking classic stage musicals, my favorite would be Anything Goes (because 42nd Street the musical technically isn’t classic). The number one classic movie musical is Singin’ In the Rain, easily.
By the way, have you seen Boop yet?
I have! I was lucky enough to be invited to come see it in previews. It was such a fabulous production, and Jasmine Amy Rogers is a star!
You and your co-hosts Lydia Butthole Kollins and Kori King (who happen to be Hollywood’s hottest new “It Couple”) will serve “ButtTootKing” at 3 Dollar Doll in Brooklyn on May 22nd (two shows: 7pm and 9:30pm), hosted by Olivia Lux. How fun will it be to perform with your two season sisters?
Oh I’m just so excited. I love those girls so much; we have so much fun together. And beyond the fact that I love them as people, I respect them so much as drag artists… so the show is just gonna be hit after hit.
What else is coming up for you?
O,h tons! Currently, we are working on a Suzie Toot one woman show titled If You Knew Suzie that will be traveling around the country. Some very cool YouTube projects are in the works as well. And some cool announcements about the end of the year are on the way, too!
Finally: in these strange and uncertain times, what are words of comfort or advice you might give to young queer folks out there trying to get through all this?
I’ve been saying this around the country: we will always have each other. The power in the queer community lies in the word “community.” We have survived through the hard times before by helping each other; no government can provide that or take that away.
Thank you, Suzie!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Suzie Toot’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, BluSky and LinkTree.
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